Apparatus for vaccinating by scarification



Sept. 14, 1954 G. .1. A. GUYE 2,688,970

APPARATUS FOR VACCINATING BY SCARIFICATION Filed March 24, 1953 INVENTORGEORGES 1A GU95 RTTORNEH Patented Sept. 14, 1954 APPARATUS FORVACCINATING BY SCARIFICATION Georges Jean Albert Guye, LaChaux-de-Fonds,

Switzerland i Application March 24, 1953, Serial No. 344,347

Claims priority, application Switzerland October 14, 1952 The object ofthe present invention is an apparatus for vaccinating by scarification,to be used in particular for antitubercular vaccination.

The use, for anti-tubercular vaccination, of a sharp instrument, knownas a vaccinostyle, by means of which the operator effects, by hand,horizontal parallel lines or scarifications destined to receivethe'vaccine, is known. The length of each scarification varies accordingto the weight of the subject to .be vaccinated. This length is chosen insuch a manner that the sum of the individual lengths of thescarifications is comprised between 4 and 26 centimeters. This methodhas the inconvenience of being slow, not very precise and alsodisagreeable for the subject. It depends on the skill 'of the operatorand requires as many vaccinostyles as there are persons to bevaccinated.

The purpose of the present invention is to remedy these disadvantages,and the apparatus which constitutes its object enables scarifications tobe effected mechanically.

This apparatus is characterized in that it comprises a sharpinterchangeable member car-, ried by a support rotatably mounted in acircu lar case and projecting through a wall destined to be appliedagainst the skin of the subject, means to adjust the cutting depth ofthe said sharp member, means to adjust the angular travel of the supportof the sharp member according to the length of the scarification to beeffected, and spring means to bring back the said support with the sharpmember brusquely to its initial position, in order to effect thescarification.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example, an embodimentof the apparatus according to the invention.

Fig. l is a cross section along the line l- -l in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a, View from above of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a cross section along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

The apparatus for vaccinating by scarification shown in the drawing isdestined for anti-tubercular vaccination and comprises a sharp memberdestined to effect scarifications in the skin of the subject, as will bedescribed below.

This sharp member is constituted by a blade I, made, for instance, ofsteel, and provided with four points 2. The blade I is inserted in aradial groove 3 of a disk 4 with the teeth 2 projecting from the surfaceof the disk, which is rotatably mounted in a circular case 5. The case 5is closed by a covering member 6, destined to be 6 Claims. (01. 128333)applied against the skin of the subject to be vaccinated, and providedwith four openings 1, in the shape of arcs of concentric circles, forthe passage of the teeth 2.

The disk 4 is screwed on to a central arbor 8 the free endof which isprovided with a handle 9 which serves to'turn the disk 4 whilstsimultaneously winding up a spiral spring l0. Four notches H, I2, I3 andI4 are provided at the periphery of the disk 4, these notchescooperating with a catch i5 provided with a control lever 16 oscillatingon an arbor l1 and acted upon by a spring 18. To each of the notches ll,12, I3 and I4 corresponds a determined angular position of the blade 1,starting from which the teeth of this blade can effect scarifications ofa determined length. The covering member 6 bears on its outer facecentimetric indications ll, 5,2! and 26 which correspond to the fourpossible angular positions of the blade I. If, for instance, the bladeis opposite the indication 16, its points 2 will trace scarificationscorresponding to a length of 16 centimeters on the skin of the subject.

" The spring [0 is anchored on the one hand to the case 5 by its bentend l9 which is engaged in a slot 20, and on the other, to a part 2|made fast with the disk 4 by means of a pin 22. The part 2| is providedwith a groove 23, in the shape of an arc of a circle, and the ends ofwhich cooperate with a stop pin 24 screwed into a boss of the case 5.

In order to enable the depth of out, i. e. the projection of the points2 beyond the outer face of the covering member 6, to be adjusted, thedisk 4 can slide inside the case 5. A threaded tube 25 is provided forthis purpose, this tube being screwed into a tapped hole 26 of a centralsleeve which is in one piece with the case 5. This threaded tube 25 isfitted at one end with a milled head 21 and at the other with a bushing28 which can slide in a boring 29. The head 21 bears a graduation which,in conjunction with a fixed mark on the case, indicates the position ofthe points of the teeth 2 in relation to the surface of the coveringmember 6. A look nut 30 enables the threaded tube 2'5, and consequently,the head 21, to be locked in the desired position, and a ring 3|prevents the lock nut 30 from being blocked against the head 21.

The apparatus described functions as follows:

Knowing what the length of the scarifications to be effected on thesubject to be vaccinated is to be (for instance 16 cm.) this lengthhaving been determined according to the weight of the blocked. Theoperator then applies the apparatus, thus cooked and adjusted, againstthe skin of the subject to be vaccinated and presses the control leverI6 counter to the action of the spring l 2 The disk (I is thus releasedand is brought back in a brusque manner to its initial 10 has beendescribed, and the lock nut 30 is position by the action of the springI0, taking the blade I with it, whose points 2 producein the skin thescarifications destined to receive the vaccine.

The apparatus described is of a very simple construction, is easy tohandle and can easily be taken apart for cleaning and sterilizing. Inaddition, the easy removal of 'the covering member 6 enables the blade Ito be got at without difficulty in order to change it after everyvaccination. This apparatus enables scarifications varying .in length upto 26 cm. to be efiected quickly and painlessly, these scarificationscovering a surface of the skin of 16sq. cm. at the most, whereas withthe known methods of vaccination effected by hand a surface of 36 sq.cm. is necessary.

What I claim is: r

1. An apparatus for vaccinating by scarification, in particular foranti-tubercular vaccination, comprising a sharp interchangeable membercarried by a support rotatably mounted in a circular case and projectingthrough a wall destined to be applied against the skin of the subject,means to adjust the cutting depth of the said sharp member, means toadjust the angular travel of the support of the sharp member accordingto the length of the scarification to be effected, and spring means tobring back the said support with the sharp member brusquely .4 to itsinitial position, in order to eifect the scarification.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sharp member isconstituted by a steel blade provided with four points destined to formfour scarifications in the shape of arcs :of concentric circles.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said support isconstituted by a disk mounted in the case and provided with a radialgroove in which said sharp member is inserted with its points protrudingfrom the outer surface of the disk, and the case is closed by a coveringmember, destined to be applied against the skin of the subject andprovided with four openings in the shape of arcs of concentric circlesfor the passage of the teeth of the blade.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein themeans to adjust thedepth of scarification comprises a threaded member cooperating with atapped part, which is fast with the case, to move the disk towards oraway from the covering member.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the disk carrying saidsharp member is provided at its periphery with notches cooperating witha,

catch fitted with a control lever, each notch corresponding to adetermined angularposition of the disk and, consequently, to adetermined length of scarification, and a spiral spring is mountedbetween the case and a part which is fast with the disk in order tobring the latter back to its initial position from a determined. angularposition when the catch is released from.

the corresponding notch. v

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said part which is fastwith the disk is provided with a groove in the shape of an arc of acircle, the ends of which cooperate with a stop which isfast with thecase.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 931,791 Niergarth Aug. 24, 1909 2,542,828 Morrison Feb. 20,1951

